It is known in the prior art to provide storage pages comprising a series of channels for accommodating negatives, which pages are formed of translucent or transparent plastic material. These negative storage pages may be adapted for mounting in three-ring binders, or for hanging in file cabinets using hanger bars, or for both, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 803,928 filed by Applicant on Nov. 7, 1985, which is incorporated herein by reference.
A problem encountered in the prior art with channel-loaded type of negative storage pages having top-loading pockets is that the negatives tend to fall out or to be scratched or bent when being put in place or removed.
It is therefor the principal object of this invention to provide improved plastic pages having toploading envelope-style pouches for accommodating negatives which are locked in place in the page and are prevented from falling out during movement of the binder or filng cabinet or other receptacle, or being bent or scratched during placement or retrieval, especially when the negative strip is shorter than the accommodating channel.
These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention in an improved plastic page for accommodating negatives in top-loading laterally-extended parallel pockets comprising envelope-style pouches.
The negative storage pages are formed, in a preferred embodiment, by overlaying a pair of matching translucent or transparent sheets, say, conventional 8 1/2 inches (23.8 centimeters) long by 11 inches (28.5 centimeters) wide. The top edges are fastened together by a first straight line of sealing dots across the top, about 5/8 inch (1 1/2 centimeters) below which and parallel to which is disposed a second line of sealing dots forming between the rows of sealing dots an oblong lot closed by a row of dots normal to the inner end. This is shaped for placing an index strip in the page. At the inner end, the corner of the page is cut off at, say, a 45 degree angle. Along the inner and outer long edges and across the bottom, the upper and under sheets are sealed together by straight lines of sealing dots parallel to the edges.
About 1 3/4 inches (4.2 centimeters) below the second row of sealing dots, disposed parallel thereto across the width of the negative storage page, is a third row of sealing dots. A fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh row of parallel sealing dots, each about 1 3/4 inches (4.2 centimeters) below the one above, are extended across the width of the page, each in parallel relation to the line of sealing dots above, providing a series of elongated parallel, laterally-extending upper and lower pouches, each of which is closed at each of its ends by a row of sealing dots.
A salient feature of each of the laterally-extended parallel lower pouches is that, instead of opening across the top edge of the pouch, as in prior art storage pages, the outer surface sheet is cut across the width of the top page with a straight cut, forming an opening parallel to and 3/8 inch (1 centimeter) below the top edge of each pouch. This enables the standard 35 millimeter negative, (1 3/8 inches wide), to be slipped into the pouch and locked into place, with the upper flap of the upper pouch folded over the top edge of the negative. The position of the cut and the depth of the pouch is such that it always falls across the area of the sprocket holes on the edge of the negative. This has the advantage that the cut does not interfere with the image on the strip in duplicating through the page without removing the negative, as in "proofing".
Margins, say 5/8 inch (1.7 centimeters) wide, are provided along the left-hand and right-hand long edges of the negative storage page by additional straight lines of sealing dots. The left-hand margin in a preferred embodiment of the negative storage page, is punched with three holes for filing in a conventional 3-ring binder. This margin may also serve to accommodate a hanger bar for hanging the page in a filing cabinet.
Other objects, features and advantages will be better understood by a study of the detailed description hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings.